Marble Angel
by TwilightSnowStar
Summary: What happens when Isabella Swan goes walking in the woods and finds a strange statue? And why can't she stop thinking about it? MUCH better than it sounds. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**_Ok, so this idea has been with me for a long time, and I mean a long time. I mean like almost 3 months. I just was so busy for that time and never really felt motivated enough to write this. But I finally did. I think I did pretty well on this. The status of this story is not sure. It is set at COMPLETE but we'll see..._**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but Stephenie Meyer does._**

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A walk in the woods, that was all it was. A simple walk in the woods, without supervision, without a companion, without anyone to hear me scream. No, don't think of that last part. The sky was getting darker, blacker, like it was ready to devour all in sight with its blackness. _Get a grip, a storm is coming, and it is _only _a storm! _My internal words of encouragement were drowned out when a loud thunderclap shook the forest, causing birds to fly away shrieking in their wake, the birds were screaming, running away, away from the thunder. The dark green foliage that had seemed so bright just a few minutes ago was transformed into an ominous place where every shadow was turned into a nightmare creature. A scream, a yell threading it's way slowly through the trees until it reached my ears. I ran, thinking that the scream was real, only realizing after I had started running that it was one of the bird's calls; one of the crows who were fleeing from the approaching storm.

I stopped for a second to catch my breath. In my terror, I had completely lost the path. One half of my mind was starting to panic, but the other side was saying soothing, calm, rational thoughts. _It's only a storm, nothing more than a storm. The screams are birds flying away, which you should be too. Now come on, the path is right over there. _I was momentarily calmed until a huge bolt of lightening flashed overhead, causing the birds roosting in the trees above me to suddenly scream, startling me and I started to run off once more, now merely letting instinct control my movements and thoughts. _Run. Run away! Someone is behind you. Run. Run. Don't stop til you get out of the forest. Don't stop when you do get out of the forest. Just keep going. Watch out for that tree root, it might actually be a hand, someone is trying to attack you. Trample it, yes, good girl. Now keep running. Come on, move faster ! _

And so I ran, I ran and didn't stop, until I until I tripped over a brother tree root of the tree root that I had trampled. Irony and coincidence were my best friends.

...And that's how I ended up here. I was in a clearing, that much was clear. I was still a bit disoriented, I should've known better than to become terrified by just a bunch of crows. I should've known better than to go on a walk through the forest alone. I should've known better than to run from the path, let instinct just take over me.

I had moved here, in the Canadian wilderness, with my father who was a local ranger in the Provincial Park nearby. Right now it was Summer Vacation, although it was still very cold.

All I had wanted to do was get to know my new home a bit, take a walk. I should've known better. I was in the wilderness, it wasn't safe!

I picked myself up from the damp ground, brushing the brown dirt off of my jeans with swift, hard sweeps of my hands. I looked ahead of me, and gasped. There in the space right in front of me, was a huge pillar...of dirt? It looked like a log standing upright, but on closer inspection it was made of mud surrounding something more solid in the middle. The thing looked to be taller than me, by almost a head. What could be under there? It couldn't be just solid mud could it? Canada maybe just had the impossible. I walked around the thing, circling it, wondering aloud. "What is it? How'd it get out here?" My soft voice broke the stillness of the forest, which now seemed very serene and quiet, or it was until the storm that I had heard gave a huge thunderclap and a bolt of lightening as rain started pouring.

I sighed, I knew that I should've brought a jacket, but I had thought that my sweatshirt would suffice, it didn't.

I was ready to start heading through the woods again in the direction that I had barreled through the trees from but I was stopped by a look back at the mud thing The mud was starting to drip off, bit by precious bit the mud was being carried away by the heavy rainfall. What was emerging from the _thing _startled me...a lot. It looked like it was a hand, a white hand. I ran over, was someone...buried under there? Normally I was a coward, but I didn't think of myself just than, I thought about reaching the person that might and could still possible be alive under there.

I reached the mud pile. It was indeed a hand, a white and beautiful hand. Now, more of the thing was being slowly uncovered. I saw what looked like a...face. But it couldn't be, it was much too beautiful, and much too white.

I touched the face, terrified that it was the hand of a corpse, hopeful that it was the hand of someone alive. It was neither. When I touched it, it was hard like marble, a statue. That explained everything. How it was so white, so very cold, and so very beautiful, and it looked as if it was marble.

Whoever sculpted this was brilliant, I thought. It was true, the face was perfect, more than perfect. The eyes were closed, showing smooth lids, and the lips were closed together, tout. The head looked a bit tilted to make the statue look contemplative. And it was pointed slightly towards the sky, as if it was calling on the storm clouds above us.

Only that one white hand and the face was uncovered, but I didn't care, I could only keep staring at the face, the beautiful stone face. I could now see that it was definitely male, I was too busy ogling to fully comprehend anything but that amazing beauty.

Who had made this? It was certainly exquisite work, this belonged in the Louvre, or in the Vatican as an angel, so what was it doing in the wilderness of Canada? But I felt that I didn't care, I liked the fact that I was the only one who knew of this beautiful secret.

The rain had started to slow down until it was merely a fine drizzle, not uncovering any more of the statue's features.

I tentatively reached up a hand to it's face, I was shy even around such a beautiful stone statue, especially around such a beautiful statue. I gently stroked the area around it's closed eyelid, it was so smooth, and so hard, and so cold, and oh so very beautiful.

There was a huge thunderclap again and the sky was streaked with lightening, the rain was coming again.

I had to leave, I knew it, but I didn't want to, not at all. But I had too, I'd get even more soaked and even more cold. I was still unwilling.

_You can always come back. When the sun is shining and you can see him better. Wouldn't you like that?_

_Yes, yes I would._

So I left, headed towards the path that I now remembered, but not without whispering, "I'll be back."

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**_Again, this story is COMPLETE but rules and status's are meant to be broken..._**

**_Anyway, really what do you think?_**

**_I know, I'm supposed to be working on other stuff but this wouldn't go away, can you forgive me?_**

**_This is my 11th story! I've broken through the 10th story barrier! Yay!_**

**_Review!_**

**_Any guesses on who the statue is?_**

**_Again, REVIEW!_**

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Ok, I just had to edit this because I found out that I didn't have a few key points in this. With the whole Edward is a vampire and he's hungry._**

**_Anyway, read this._**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any related trademarks, but Stephenie Meyer does._**

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I needed to be calmed, that much was obvious.

In this tiny town, I was stuck around my family all the time. Normally that wouldn't be so bad but I had had enough. Enough of seeing them together and happy. I had had enough of being the only one who didn't have a companion. I wasn't lonely, that wasn't it at all, I was quite content. No, the problem was that I was tired of wondering if I was meant to be alone when everyone else seemed to have someone.

The woods was always a good place to start with the calming process. In the quiet atmosphere and with the sharp smell of pine in my nose, the forest was already calming me. My family was quite used to this, they were used to not seeing me for weeks at a time. My record was 7 weeks, 5 days, and 2 hours, time to break it.

I needed alone time, a lot. I treasured this time because it was the only chance that I had to really reflect and think about my existence.

I remember seeing a clearing through the tree trunks and had wandered over. I stood in the center, with my arms and hands spread out before me, as if I was offering myself to the sky itself. My head was up, looking at the clouds. I closed my eyes so that I could concentrate on the blackness and nothing else.

Around me, I felt the days start to pass from the intervals that I could feel the sun's rays on my face.

I felt so calm, better than I had been feeling for a long time. There was peace and quiet and I reveled in it, not wanting to stop my meditation to break this wonderful feeling.

More days were passing, I could feel the build-up of dust and the dirt and mud from storms and just the wilderness sweep over me, but I didn't care, I wouldn't stop, I didn't want to go back.

I was totally engulfed in mud by the 4th week. And it was then that I heard something crashing through the trees. It wasn't an animal, no animal would make such noise. That meant that it was a...human.

I mentally cursed myself. Any human would find it strange to see a standing tower of mud standing straight up here. I should've known, should've been more careful. There was nothing I could do now but stay as still as possible, and hope that the human didn't come into the clearing.

No such luck, I heard the human clumsily traipse into the little strip of forest that had been my refuge. I still couldn't move though, maybe the creature would just look at the pillar in awe and then go away.

I heard a gasp that clearly marked the person as female.

It would be so easy to get rid of her. She wouldn't even feel it. A merciful death, all things considered.

No, this was my fault, I would not kill an innocent life for my own mistakes. And I couldn't take a human life anyway, I couldn't and wouldn't do it.

I could feel the vibrations around my feet that marked the girl as circling me and in her wake, she voiced her thoughts aloud. "What is it? How'd it get here?" She had a lovely voice, so soft, so calming and peaceful.

But to my great relief, thunder cracked nearby, signaling that a bad storm would start soon. The human would leave now and I could go back and make up for my foolishness.

I could hear her walking away but then for some reason she was turning around, taking a last glance at me and gasping again.

Oh, no. This was bad. I could feel my hand coming free from my earthen cover. The rain that was now falling so heavily was starting to dissolve the hardened mud that surrounded me. She would see me, she might scream to see a human figure trapped in here. She might even try to touch me, and see that my skin was as hard as...marble. Marble! I was a statue, a living statue. I was cold enough, I was white enough, I was still enough, but most importantly, I was hard enough. She would just think that I was a statue, a stone carving that was left here. That was odd enough, but it would do.

I felt her touch my face, and it was like a jolt to my senses. She was so warm. Her skin had felt so good to my cold rock-like skin. But there was something else, something terribly wrong, I was thirsty now. After at least four weeks without hunting, I was very thirsty. See, the thing about being stone still for over three weeks leaves you in a trance-like state, I was unfeeling of my hunger because I wasn't really aware of myself that much, I was stuck in a place where an hour to me was an entire week, it was a nice place where my thoughts were able to drift and I could just let them go.

But now my thirst was back and it was demanding attention. Another little problem was the fact that her blood smelled so good, I could almost taste it already. Venom rose to my throat, preparing myself for the attack, the kill.

And then she took away that amazing warmth when she retracted her hand. That shock took away my need for a second. I yearned for that touch again, not just for the warmth, although that was a large part. What I yearned for was just for her to touch me again, I had no idea why and I didn't care, I was just so absorbed in feeling that touch again, and in that, I was able to hold off my bloodlust for awhile more.

My silent prayers were answered. She slowly, hesitantly, reached out her fingertip and gently stroked the area around my eye. It felt wonderful, better than anything I had ever felt before. Better even than the void of feeling after the dreadful fire of my change.

This human was something that I had never experienced before, and I wanted more, so much more. And this time, I kept my hunger in check, knowing what it would do to my family, my own self-respect, and of course, that wonderful touch would be gone.

To my eternal disappointment, the rain that had started to slow, started up again. The girl had to go, she would get sick if she stayed in this rain. I didn't want her to get ill but I didn't want her to leave either. Also, I could get a better hold on my thirst if she would go away for a time. It was a bittersweet moment, more bitter than sweet.

She started away anyway, but not before saying in a quiet murmur, "I'll be back."

She turned her back to me and started away. I opened my eyes, for once seeing this human. From what I could tell, she had pale skin, almost as pale as mine, and long, dark brown hair that was tauntingly swinging in the storm's wind. She was beautiful, I could tell that from just that look.

She would be back, and I'd be waiting.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any related trademarks, but they are all property of Stephenie Meyer._**

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On the outside, I was exhausted, on the inside, my mind buzzed with questions, thoughts, and...dreams. But there was only so much that I could take in one day, and the warm covers of my bed held an irresistible invitation to my poor, tired body after walking through the woods in soaking clothes for over an hour.

The house was warm, Charlie had left the heat on for me while he was at work and I was grateful. I unlocked the door with the key from under the welcome mat and stepped into the comforting house.

In my room, I stripped off my drenched clothes and put on my pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, it was almost 7 after all and I might as well get a head start on sleep, and curled myself into a ball under the blankets.

I lay awake for hours, even though my body screamed to rest, I just couldn't, I didn't want to lose the image of that statue in my sleep. Finally, after I saw a brightening of the clouds out my window, I fell asleep.

It was so strange, in my dream there was the marble statue, but it was turned away from me. There was nothing else, just white all around us, I walked towards it, happy that I would see it's face again. I ran to it but it seemed to be moving away from me, I ran faster and finally seemed to reach it. I moved to look at it's face and saw just a plain smooth section where the face's beautiful features ought to be. Then, the statue crumbled away, breaking into pieces before turning into a fine powder that I tried to catch but an unknown wind blew it away.

I woke up with tears streaming down my eyes and from the clock on my night stand, I saw that it was almost noon.

I dressed quickly and rushed through a granola bar to calm my grumbling stomach. On the kitchen counter was a note from Charlie who I hadn't seen for at least a day. The note said that he would be back around 6 and that I could just go along and eat without him. I barely finished reading it when I was out the door.

I remembered the path, how could I not? I had been mentally memorizing it when I was walking back the day before, and thankfully, I remembered everything.

I walked briskly through tall trees, towering over me like huge umbrellas that kept the rain from falling on me. I stumbled over stones, tripped several times over my own feet, hopped over a branch, and I was there. The clearing was exactly like I remembered it with trees surrounding it on all sides and the spicy smell of evergreens mixing with the freshness of new rain perfuming the air.

And of course there was the statue in the center of all of this, my beautiful vision in marble. The closed eyelids, the uplifted hands, it was all so familiar, as if I had been staring at this thing my entire life, but now I'd make up for lost time.

I spent countless minutes just staring at it and ogling at its perfect carved features, but I didn't think the time wasted at all. I was starting to doubt my own sanity though when I began talking to it. I couldn't help it though, all my pent up emotions about my recent move, my loneliness, and being in this dripping, cloudy town. And it was so lifelike, if I could get past the hardness, the white, and the stillness, I'd think that it was a person.

I didn't stop though, I kept on talking to it, and releasing everything I was keeping inside at last. I guess I wasn't really talking just to the statue, I think it was more I was talking to everything and anything, the trees, the air, the animals scurrying around me, but I was fixing my gaze on the statue while I was talking, looking right at it, and so maybe I was talking to it, I really don't know, and I really don't care anymore.

"I miss my old life, I miss actually seeing the sun. Charlie's a great dad, but I miss Renee a lot, maybe it's the fact that she depended on me, I felt needed I guess. But she deserves a chance with Phil, alone together." I told it what my mom was like.

"Canada isn't bad, it's just different, and it's so cold and rainy, I never see the sun anymore." I told it about my old life.

The sky was getting darker and darker and the air around me was getting colder. The sun never showed its face today, I never got to see what it looked like in the sunlight; I would just have to come back. I smiled at the thought.

I would still have to leave soon though; at least it wasn't raining again. I got up, stretching my cramped muscles from staying still for so long.

One last look at it, one last chance to see the perfect planes of its face, see the perfect fingers raised towards the sky.

I reached for one of those white hands and grasped it, squeezing, willing myself to keep the memory of the feel of the stone hand.

Reluctantly, I let go and started stumbling my way into the woods, with one disturbing realization in my mind, school would be starting in less than a week.

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**_Well? What did you think? Good or bad?_**

**_Should I do one chapter BPOV and the other EPOV or should I just stick to one POV?_**

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_I decided to do each chapter in both POV's, I might not follow that pattern very faithfully, but I'm trying. So this is Edward from my last chapter. I'm sorry if he's a little OC but I never said I wrote Twilight._**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Didn't I already say that? Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer and is certainly not mine. I don't even own a statue of Edward, though if they came out, I'd be the first one to get it. Anyway, Twilight and all related trademarks don't belong to me, but to Stephenie Meyer._**

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I stayed there; I waited, numbed, nonexistent.

Over the years I had exerted an amazing amount of patience, what with Alice's sometimes silly disposition, Rosalie's tenacity, and Emmett's competitiveness. Naturally, after living with all of them for almost half a century, my patience would know no bounds.

Not. Any. More.

For the first time that I could remember in my long existence, I was impatient, I wanted things to happen, was desperate for only one thing to happen; for her to come back. My mind was besieged by more thoughts than I had ever encountered from anyone, and these thoughts were all my own.

But that brought up a good question. What were her thoughts? I had been so worried that she would find me out for what I really was, and after, I was only concentrating on that amazing warmth, and later, its absence that made everything so much colder than before.

And now I wanted to know everything. What did she think of me? What did she think I was? Did she suspect anything at all? What was her name?

What was her name? What was her name? What was her name? That question alone made my thoughts tumble. Really, it was the one thing that I had to know more than any of the others.

Now, because of my newfound endless impatience, I found a way to distract myself, I guessed at what her name might be. It was a wonderful puzzle, searching for a name that fit, because each and every person seemed to be like their name to me, it was maybe something about me being a mind reader but anyone's name seemed to fit them perfectly, so now I had to find the name that would fit this person. Thousands of names from centuries past came to me, but I tried some more modern ones.

Holly? Definitely not. Megan? Not a chance. Rose? I shuddered at the thought of my sister even being compared to her. Sasha? That didn't fit at all. Isabel? Not exactly, close, but not at all.

I spent at least three hours going over the problem, but no name felt right, and I would find out tomorrow though, tomorrow, I would hear her every thought.

Tomorrow, she would be back tomorrow, the prospect was awe inspiring, but also terrifying, for the simple fact that I was dangerous, as still and stony as I was, I was more dangerous to her than anything else.

I didn't want to hurt her, but I didn't want to not see her, I just couldn't take that for some reason, the impending doom of that thought was ominous, like black storm clouds littering the once blue horizon. So, the only way that she would be safe at all was if I hunted, quenched my unending thirst. And for her, to be able to see her again, I would do it.

But the problem was that I couldn't move, the mud and debris holding me in place like this was something that took weeks to accumulate, if I shook it off now, it would be near impossible, but I was a vampire, I was the impossible. So, my first option was not to hunt, see this girl, and possibly kill her, and there was no way that I would do that one. Second option, hunt but come back with no mud strewn over me as before, she would notice something, she seemed smart enough to know it would take a long and hard storm to get everything off me that quickly. My third option, hunt and find mud and more debris to cover myself in. That seemed to be the only plan that would really work, even if it would be nigh impossible to get my covering on as before, but once again, I was the impossible.

And with that, I bolted from my dark prison, relishing the feeling of moving after over a month, it felt wonderful. I was finally free, able to run after spending so much time stock still. With the beginning of movement, my senses reached their heightened peak, the residual numbness leaving finally. I took a long smell of the clear air, relishing the biting freshness of the woods. In sniffing the air, the tantalizing scent of a meal floated to me, and now I could hear it, the warm throbbing pulse of that red liquid pumping throughout the creature made me realize just how starved I was, and I followed the scent, tracking it until I found a deer, a strong young buck that would hold back my hunger until I found something better. I lunged at it, quickly breaking its neck and putting it out of its misery. Its blood was still warm and I let it flow down my throat, energizing me, making me even more invincible. I could feel my eyes change color, I could feel them lightening to a dark ocher from the pitch black that they had been. But I was still thirsty. I took another long sniff of the air, smelling the number of small creatures, but looking for bigger prey. I found it, a large old bear that would prevent me with plenty of its life's elixir to satiate me. I went in, ready for the fight that this bear would surely give me, and indeed it did. I wrestled with it, enjoying toying with it, allowing its huge paws to get close to me, but then ducking out of the way. Finally, it was tired, that was good, the blood would be pumping even more now, hot and fast from this exertion.

I drank from him slowly, relishing the taste, allowing it to fill me up, enjoying the feeling of it giving me new life.

I was satiated, filled just enough that I was no immediate danger to anyone just yet.

The sun was rising, I was still free, and didn't want to go back to my prison, but then I remembered that warm touch on my face, and that thrill that had gone through me. That was the only reason I would ever want to go back, but right now, that was enough.

I made it back to the clearing that I had spent my alone time in, the scent of the human was strong, amazingly luscious, so…tempting, for more than just her blood.

Thankfully, there was a stream nearby, and because of the constant moisture, the surrounding bank was very muddy. As undignified as it was, I started covering myself in mud, I didn't cover my face or hands, the parts of me that had been uncovered before. I headed back to the clearing before the mud could dry and awaited the return of this girl.

I waited for awhile, impatience taking hold of me for most of the time. I started to doubt if she would come back, and just the thought of that almost brought me to my knees in pain.

I kept on waiting, I doubted that I would ever stop waiting, I needed to see her again, feel her touch. I wanted to see her face, I had only felt her and had seen her walking away, but that was enough for now, enough for me.

It was almost noon before I heard her stumbling through the brush again. Before she could get too close, I peered at her from under my lashes, seeing her face for the first time. She was beautiful, looking at me with warm brown eyes framed by long dark lashes set in a pale face. Her lips were large and the most delicious shade of pink. This was the face that would forever haunt my dreams if I was still human, I would just have to deal with seeing it in my daydreams.

To my utter disappointment, she didn't touch me this time, but merely sat down on a nearby log and started talking to me, or to something near. I had no idea why she was talking to a statue but I didn't mind, I just stood there, listening to her soft, lilting voice.

I heard her talk about her old home, a place where the sun was perpetually shining, and I realized that this was a creature of day, entertaining a demon of the night. The thought made me sad for reasons unknown to me, she didn't really mean anything to me, I was just lonely after my time alone.

It wasn't until she started talking about her mother that I realized I had forgotten my promise to myself, that I would hear her thoughts today. I had been so absorbed in her presence that I hadn't even noticed it. Now I concentrated on hearing her thoughts, but there was nothing. I could still hear her musical voice filling the clearing with sound but there was no sound at all from her head. I concentrated, harder, harder, nothing worked, I couldn't read her mind. This had never happened before and I was starting to feel very confused. First, this girl comes and turns my entire existence inside out with a simple touch. And now I can't even read this girl's thoughts. This was also one of the first times that I had ever doubted myself, what was I doing? I couldn't read her thoughts, was I losing m y gift? I didn't know, she was the only person that I had come into close proximity with for weeks.

I kept trying to break into her mind but I could never read her thoughts, it was like there was nothing around me, like she had left and gone away. Feeling like she had left over and over again felt as if my heart was breaking slowly, a tiny line of a crack that got bigger and bigger until my dead heart was split in two.

So I stopped. There would always be time to try again, I was sure that she'd come back, I don't know what I would do if she didn't. But I didn't want to ruin this, I didn't want the sound of her beautiful voice surrounding me to be lost at any time, I just wanted to hear her. I still wasn't really sure why, it was just so beautiful and I just had to listen.

I listened and I learned. I learned that she had moved here from Phoenix with her father who had started his new job as a park ranger for the provincial park around here. I learned that she didn't particularly like this new place; it was so different with its greenery and endless precipitation.

By the time it had started getting dark, I had learned so much about her. She had unknowingly bestowed me with a gift, I felt as if I knew her in a better way now, but I still had no idea what her name was, or why she was just talking to a supposed inanimate object. But I didn't object to the latter, I had loved listening, even if I had never learned her name.

It was getting darker quickly, I knew that she would be leaving very soon, my time with her coming to a close.

Before she left, she came up to me and took one of my hands, that delicious warmth spreading from that one point. It felt so good, for her holding my hand, I wished she knew how much I wanted to do the same, but of course, I couldn't tell her, I was a statue.

And then she left, leaving me with the terrible cold that had come after her touch.

Once again, I peered at her from under my lashes. Her back was to me, but I saw her tense up, and I thought that I heard one word escape those lips. "School."

School.

Damn.

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**_That was definitely one of my longer chapters. I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter. If anyone didn't like it or didn't think something was right, please say so in a review so I can get better._**

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any related insignia and/or trademarks.**

**_Yeah, first update in awhile. Sort of a filler, still getting the details worked out._**

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As isolated as this town was, it still had to uphold the wonders of the Canadian government (i.e. their laws), and thus, the Cullen Clan was sent to school with humans.

For many adolescents, summer is a pleasure, but for us, it was a paradise. People left us alone; we weren't forced to do anything. There was no tedious work, no long hours of nothing; we didn't even have to pretend to eat. But every year, those precious summer days trickled away, like sand washed off the shore of a beach by the waves; the bleak, unending winter months loomed ahead, always impenetrable due to their sheer bulk.

High school is the period that many mortals look back at most fondly. From my escapades in their minds, I believe it is because they miss that time of naiveté and when so much was possible. Some miss that carefree time and others loathe the workload.

Personally, I hate it.

But now…I raised my eyes to the sky, searching for an outlet for my roiling emotions. At this point, it had grown very dark; the stars were pinpricks of light, flickering against the unending stretch of black.

I broke free of my prison.

I was dirty and I smelled like I had just crawled out of a log, which, I sort of did.

Was it worth it?

Absolutely.

My first instinct was to follow the girl—the nameless one—I called her in my head. But I knew that to be impossibly, no, I had to figure this out. I had to understand what I wanted to do and how it would affect my family.

I ran, unmindful of trees and brush; I was just ecstatic to be able to move again. I relished the way my body worked in the smoothest rhythm. Now, the first thing I would do when I got home—following the path I knew by heart—was take a shower.

To the problem at hand, the girl entering my everyday world would be something…amazing. To be able to see her, to smell—I stopped the dangerous path that my thoughts were taking and moved on to a safer venue: It would never work.

Honestly, what would her reaction be when she saw a statue's face, the one she had seen covered and hidden in a forest for days? What would happen when she saw that face attached to a body—in her own mind—a living breathing body?

And then the question that mattered to me: What would I do? If I saw her in school, a normal setting? To maybe have a conversation, to learn her name, perhaps even get her to answer a few of the questions that I had asked myself about her.

But then again, why would it matter to me? Why should it matter to me? She was a human, a weak, pitiful thing that backstabbed, hurt, and confused everything in its path. Not her. I ignored the slip of my mind. It was because she looked so fragile and delicate. I couldn't believe that she was capable of what all humans did. Yet, wasn't I 'living' proof that appearances were deceiving? She could be vicious, she might be silly, she could have a boyfriend…

A growl pierced the air around me, slicing the thundercloud air like a lightning bolt, sending me into an abrupt halt. It took me a second to realize that the animalistic sound was issued from my own mouth.

I needed to get home.

I started to run again, faster, and I kept my mind very carefully blank. I thought about how the leaves fluttered in the wind of the night instead of how the breeze would play with the girl's long, dark hair. The winding path held my attention, snaking its way through the trees, rather than remember how she made carefully picked her way out of the clearing. I had to stop the smile from creeping onto my face at my remembrance of her clumsiness.

Fine, so the keeping my mind blank part wasn't working too well.

What to do? What to do?

I would talk to my family, but whatever happened, I would go.

There would be problems, I was more of an idiot than I already knew I was if I thought it would be easy, but I would go and pay the consequences if need be.

I would see her, maybe talk to her. I _had_ to go.

I had to see why I was so obsessed, and hopefully, put a stop to it. This would not go on forever.

At least, my mind said so, but it seemed as if my heart, that dead area of my chest that I thought had died long ago, merely laughed.

* * *

**_Better than nothing?_**

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


	6. Chapter 6

**_Ok, so this is short, I know. I am sorry. It's just another little way for me to edge back into the fandom. I have big plans for the next chapter._**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

**_Review and tell me what you think. I'm not sure how I like this chapter, but I want to know what YOU think._**

**_Review so I'll know if I should continue this._**

* * *

My alarm clock woke me, blaring loudly and yanking me out of my unconscious. My eyes were still blurry from sleep, but I wrenched myself out of bed, and ran for the bathroom. I had to be ready quickly; school might be starting soon, but I had to see him first.

Perhaps this plan to go all the way to see the statue (I had started referring to it as him) before the already early school day was stupid, silly, and a little insane, but I had to go. He would be like my good luck charm. So maybe it was a deluded thought, but maybe, just maybe, if I saw this epitome of perfection and strength, I'd make it through this first day ok.

By the time I had washed, dressed, and eaten it was still dark out, yet I ran through the path that I knew by heart. So maybe it was a stupid plan to go running along a badly cleared path in the dark, but I was either still groggy from sleep or totally pathetic. I'd like to think the latter wasn't the reason.

The moon was disappearing into the earth and the sun had started to shyly make her way into the sky, bathing the ground in an ethereal purple. I was almost there—go around the largest, oldest tree—step over the dead log—there!

The clearing was coating in that beautiful purple light that grew steadily rosier. The light caught the dewdrops, making the entire place shimmer and sparkle, highlighting in the middle—nothing.

It was gone. He had disappeared. I stared at the spot where he had been, not even realizing how my knees buckled and how I crumpled to the ground.

Gone.

One thought, over and over.

Gone. Gone. GONE!

The cold ground reminded me of the statue's cold, marble feel, breaking me from my pathetic spell of mourning for the loss of a statue, as if it was an actual…..person. Feeling a trickle down my cheek, I brushed it off and was aghast to see wetness. Was I crazy? Crying over a statue?

But where could it have gone?

The purple of the clearing was now changing to a rosy pink; I slowly picked myself up, suddenly not caring how the statue had left, simply reveling in the fact that it was gone. Perhaps it was a good thing; if I was so attached to a statue, maybe it was good that it was gone, healthy even. Before I became crazier…

I slowly drudged back through the path, a very different adventure than the one that I had so happily undertaken just moments before. Now, the last thing I wanted to do was attend my first day at a new school. I was seriously thinking that maybe I should skip; obviously I wasn't stable enough to try this today. But then I thought of Charlie—in this tiny town, he'd hear of the 'new girl's' absence from school. I know he wouldn't be mad at me, just sad, sad that I was obviously not busy adjusting to this new life, sad that I hated it here.

I shook my head, sending all those leading thoughts into the corners of my mind where I wasn't faced with them just now. I didn't need this now, not when I was so distraught over the disappearance of an inanimate object. Not when I needed to face the goggling masses who would surely label me as strange, weird, especially once they saw the sadness that I knew would creep up on me throughout the idea at the thought of it missing.

But that was why I had to go to this school, too. I had to get over this, get normal. I'd make an effort at this new life, make an effort to get past this mental roadblock that was so totally odd and upsetting. Perhaps I could do it. I would never be one of those social butterflies, but maybe I could get through this day without getting classified as 'the nutcase'.

With this new resolve, I made the rest of the way back to the house, got in my red truck, drove to school, and readied myself to face a test that I wasn't sure I would pass or fail.

* * *

_**Told you it was short.**_

**_Review to tell me if you think I should continue this, like I said, I wasn't very happy with this chapter._**

**_Still got big plans for the next one, though._**

**_Review!_**

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Ok...hey, guys. So, yeah, I probably should say sorry for not updating in so long. But, honestly, there were lots of little reasons as to why I have not been updating ANY of my stories. Life just kind of happened, and I kind of lost my feel for writing for a long while. But, then, something amazing happened; I got a review. **_

_**Yes, I still sporadically get reviews from people that just find my stories in cyberspace. A few weeks ago, I got one particular review that just struck me for some reason. I replied, we talked, and I've been kind of thinking as to why I haven't updated in so long. And yes, I feel guilty. I know what it feels like to find a story you like, only to be cut off because there's no more next chapter button. **_

_**So, finally, somehow, the conditions in my head were perfect for inspiration. So here I am. This might be one of the longest chapters I've ever written (sad, right?) but I felt like I owed it to anyone who has previously read this story, and been disappointed by the one pagers I have updated. **_

_**I have an idea as to where this story will end. I really do, and I really like it. Getting there's just the hard part.**_

_**So, I think we have discovered something here today. Reviews=Updates. I know, I'm shameless, but eventually, those things do get to me. So if, anyone still reads these stories, there's something to think about.**_

_**Also, I understand I haven't put anything up in awhile, so if my writing style has changed, feel free to tell me. If you hate it, love it, or don't care, just go ahead and tell me please, because I LOVE feedback!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**_

* * *

The school was small. I wasn't surprised—the school could only be as big as the town around it, right?—but it was definitely a contrast. My school in Phoenix had been huge, with large windows set into the walls so as to catch the everlasting sunshine. Sunshine. That was a contrast as well. Here, there was no sunshine. Nothing but a dim, bland gray and green mixture that I didn't feel would be right to call light exactly. There was no sunshine here, none, except for…..

No. No. It was a statue. It wasn't sunlight or warmth or bright white cotton ball clouds. It wasn't home, right? It wasn't a friend, right? But then why did I feel homesick?

Stop it—I shook my head—it's a statue. It's not even there anymore. I ignored the pang that went through the area around where blood was being pumped. Someone probably found it, and decided that it was better off anywhere than in a rainy forest in the middle of nowhere.

But it had been mine.

No, I told myself, it was never yours.

There were too many thoughts swirling around my head for me to concentrate well. Apparently this was evident to everyone else waiting in line in the school parking lot because some helpful soul decided to beep their horn at my poor, stationary truck. I sent back a guilty hand in a sorry wave and quickly found a spot. After, I spent five minutes hiding, hoping those who had seen my truck had entered the building and that I wouldn't be connected to the ancient, red truck that had disrupted the parking line.

When it was safe, I opened the door, and jumped to the ground, splashing right into a puddle. It was definitely going to be a great day. I stopped my thoughts from reminding me what exactly would make it great.

Slowly, and carefully avoiding incoming cars and puddles, I made my way into the school. Inside, the air was humid, a combination of all of the heat of the building as well as all of the evaporated water vapor in the air. I followed the plain signs marking the path to the main office in order to sign in, as per the school's policy of all new students, no matter their shyness at coming in late to every class and having to interrupt to tell the teacher 'Sorry, I'm new. Could you sign this for the office?'

Definitely a really great day.

The people in the office were nice, though; no doubt I wasn't the only stricken-looking, unfamiliar face. My newly appointed guidance counselor gave me a sympathetic pat on the back along with my new schedule.

"Are you going to be alright, hon?" She asked. The endearment, no matter how commonly used, made me feel a little less nervous.

"Yeah. Sure, I'll be fine," I gave her a weak and pitiful attempt at a grin.

She nodded, "Well, if you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know," she offered, sending me a reassuring smile. Maybe I could just stay here…..No.

"Ok, thanks," I started to walk away, but something, something, made me turn around.

My guidance counselor, Mrs. Sorelli, gave me an inquiring look when she saw that I had turned around—stupid, stupid, stupid—, "Yes?"

I tried to nonchalantly phrase my question, "Do you know if there's, like, a local sculptor or anyone, that lives in the town?"

She gave me a puzzled look as her eyebrows pulled together to process my question. I tried to help her, "Maybe he likes to make statues for the park?" I suggested.

"I don't think so, dear. There's Mrs. Prill, but she mainly keeps a painting gallery. If you want to buy anything from her, she might try to find you a sculpture." She offered, trying to make sense of my query.

I tried not to blush, "No, thanks. Just wondering. I think my dad said something about there being statues in the provincial park," I lied, trying to cover my embarrassment, "He's a ranger there."

Mrs. Sorelli smiled at me again, understanding the curiosity of a newcomer, "Well, now that you mention it, there is a particularly famous statue in the woods around the park," my breath caught in my lungs and for a moment I think I just kind of stared.

"Yes, you know, your dad's right, now that I think of it," she continued. "It's a lovely sculpture of a wolverine—there are quite a few around here—or at least there used to be," she sighed. "For some reason, there have been less lately. Local authorities think someone has been hunting them," she frowned at the duplicity of people.

I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. A WOLVERINE? My statue was not a wolverine! I should never had even asked my stupid, silly, desperate question. I just felt like I lost him—it!—after I had only just discovered the statue again.

"But that statue was commissioned years ago by an out-of-town artist. Between you and me," she whispered conspiratorially, "I doubt anyone here could create something that life-like."

I nodded, "Ok, thanks. I'll tell Ch-my dad."

Mrs. Sorellli gave me one last smile and a wave, and I left her office in search of my first class.

I got through my first few classes, very red and stuttering, but I had a feeling that most of the class was ignoring my mumbled, mandatory greetings for more interesting pursuits: passing notes, gossiping, texting, the usual. At least it seemed like teenagers were the same in any country.

All throughout those first few hours, I found myself taking my appointed seat and then studiously ignoring the teacher. Hey, it was the first day. What ever is on the test on the first day? I let each and every teacher hand out syllabi, required reading lists, and contact sheets while they continuously rambled on about how they graded, how the classes were taught, and how disrespect, cheating, etc. would not be tolerated. As they lectured, I doodled on the aforementioned syllabi, lists, and sheets. It was the same, simple picture, just little gibbous moons that, if I drew a circle inside them would maybe look like an eye. An iris in the middle, a little shading underneath, a dark lash here and there, and it was finished. I finally took in my overall handiwork and was surprised. I had actually drawn pretty good eyes, everywhere. Altogether, maybe drawing eyes all over my school papers was not a good sign, but I felt like I was trying to find something.

Absentmindedly, I wondered what color they should be. Black would be interesting. I colored in the iris with my pen. Yes, black would be a nice contrast to that white, white skin….I threw my pen down, earning raised eyebrows and stares from my peers close enough to see me fling down my writing utensil. I sheepishly looked around, muttered something about my pen not working, and looked like I was paying attention to the teacher.

The statue's eyes had been closed. The sculptor had obviously not felt the need to give his or her creation the ability to see. I mentally smacked myself. It was a statue; it couldn't see. But, my treacherously crazy thoughts continued, if it had eyes, what would they look like? Well, they would be beautiful of course, the most perfect eyes ever imagined.

I sighed as the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. Avoiding the eyes of my weirded-out classmates, I looked at my schedule for my next class…and almost gasped.

* * *

It had been a trying day, and it wasn't even noon. Of course, when I first arrived home after my adventure in the woods, I was greeted immediately by Alice barreling towards me and hugging me with all of the considerable force that her tiny frame could surprisingly give.

"Hello," she squeezed me and managed to almost make me hear an imagined crack from my ribcage.

"Hi, Alice," I wheezed as the rest of my family gathered around the spectacle. I glanced at them for the first time since my long absence.

Esme looked relieved, of course. My sudden departures always concerned her the most. I felt guilty; of course it hurt the closest thing to a mother that I remembered that I felt the need to leave the family so periodically and for so long. I gave her a small, reassuring smile, and then turned to see Rosalie and Emmett next to each other. Rose was annoyed as usual. She hated what she called my 'sulking moments'. Anything that took attention away from Rose herself was unwelcome in Rosalie's world. Emmett ignored his multiple times married wife and just gave me a grin that I read as clearly as the thoughts that I easily picked up from his mind.

Nice, Edward's back. Up for a guy's bear hunting trip?

I smirked and nodded; I liked Emmett's carefree nature.

Jasper was the calmest in their greetings to me, but I distinctly felt a wave of something akin to welcome radiate towards me from Jasper's general direction. He wanted me to feel as if I was home and happy as well.

Carlisle was the last to greet me.

Welcome home, son. We have missed you; Esme especially, he thought, pointedly glancing at his love. I gave him an apologetic look. I did feel bad that I caused pain my family, but was I always to live my life for others? Nonetheless, I felt bad.

I disentangled myself from Alice's vice grip and smiled again at them all. An awkward silence ensued. Of course, it was Alice to first break that silence.

"So…feel better?" She inquired, alert for…something. Because of my sister's 'talents' she normally was the first to be able to tell if there was something amiss.

But nothing was amiss. No, as different as my sojourn had been to all of my others, I could not regret any of it. For good or bad, I felt lighter than I had in decades. Jasper seemed to catch onto my odd—for me—euphoria. He merely raised an eyebrow.

Good hunting? I'll ask Alice later.

"Yes, much better." Esme, Carlisle, even Rosalie smiled at my admission.

Maybe he won't run out again, Rose triumphantly thought. Maybe everything will be as it always was. Rosalie was not the biggest fan of change.

But I had changed. Somehow, not for lack of resisting, I had changed. The strange girl in the woods seemed to be the catalyst of this change for whatever reason. I did not know how or why, but I knew that perhaps some of these questions would be answered tomorrow.

Tomorrow. I made my excuses to my family, subtly motioned to Alice, and departed to my room. Alice was who I was closest to in this odd family. She was also the one most likely to have some idea of what had happened in those woods. She would also be the one with the best idea of what would happen tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

A few minutes later, while I sat in my room, staring at my CD collection, Alice quietly entered.

"So," she started, "what really happened?"

And I told her everything.

* * *

_***Ducks rotten produce thrown by readers***_

_**Yeah, I know there is very little plot here, but, if you noticed any of all the hints I scattered throughout this thing, the next chapter is of course, the MEETING!**_

_**I have been trying to get to this moment for a good two years, maybe three.**_

_**So, again, I know I'm shamesless so I'll just add this again: Reviews=Updates**_

_**I honestly and truly want to hear what you guys think. I really do. What you liked, what you hated, my writing style, etc. (I like the etc.) I feel like I grow as a writer from a lot of feedback and if I am to continue with this and my other stories, I need to know if any of you guys still care enough to tell me what you thought.**_

_**So, on that mildly threatening note:**_

_**TwilightSnowStar**_


	8. Chapter 8

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight._**

* * *

Most days, it was good to be Mike Newton.

Today was not one of those days.

Normally, Mike never felt insecure about himself. He lived in a small town in relative wilderness…..small pond. Mike Newton's dad ran one of the more profitable businesses in town—a sports and hunting supplies store—which allowed Mike to have a larger allowance than his peers so he tended to have better stuff, he was definitely one of the better looking guys in said small town, and he totally knew it….big fish. Life was good for Mike. That is, until those Cullens moved in.

He didn't mind the girls, the pixie one looked like she had jumped out of a video game and the blonde looked like she would fly away to some photo shoot halfway across the world at a moment's notice. Yeah, Mike didn't mind the girls.

The male Cullens though…the large one quite simply scared him, the blond one had what Mike could only describe as shifty eyes…and the youngest…Mike really hated him. He didn't know where this animosity came from, but, upon Mike's realization that one more big fish had entered his precious pond he finally understood why those odd colored pet fish killed any other fish that was put into their bowl: the pond just wasn't big enough.

Therefore, Mike had been extremely relieved to find out that the Cullens kept to themselves. They didn't want the glory that high school popularity bestowed on its chosen, they didn't want the attention that their looks and attitudes attracted, and they plain didn't want anyone coming near them. Looks like the newcomers weren't any threat to Mike's pond.

Yet today was a bad day for Mike Newton. Upon coming into his second period class, Sculpture, Mike was…let's say for politeness…dismayed…that one of his classmates would be The Edward Cullen. That's what happens when there are mandatory art credits.

It was ok though, as long as Edward kept to himself like his entire weirdo family had always done, things would be fine. Mike could ignore him and concentrate on himself.

Choosing the seat farthest away from Cullen, still scowling, Mike sat down and nonchalantly gazed at the slowly filling art room.

The room was set up so that there were five large black tables with four stools around each where students were meant to sit in groups. These tables began filling until, by the time the bell rang, all were full, except of course for Cullen's. Mike smirked; everyone knew that the Cullens were snobs. Even though Edward was the first thing that all the girls entering the class looked to, none dared to sit near him. Looks like Mike's day wasn't going to be so bad after all.

Looking closer at Cullen though, Mike thought he saw something a bit off about him. Odd, but what was so off was that Edward was actually acting semi-normal today. Usually, the guy was staring off into space as if everything around him didn't even exist. Today though, he was, for lack of a better word…twitchy.

Mike could probably count on one hand the times that he had seen Edward Cullen blink, and yet he was doubling that in the last few minutes. He would alternate between grimacing and blinking and this really weird spacey look, like he was listening to his headphones…but Mike saw no headphones or ear buds. Chalking it up to one more oddity of the Cullens, Mike turned towards the teacher who had started to rise from her desk, the typical art teacher dramatic pause to make everyone be silent before she started her new class lecture….

And then, out of the corner of his eye, Mike saw Edward Cullen's head swivel towards the door at the back of the class room. Unconsciously, Mike's head mimicked Edward's, wondering what he was looking at.

At that exact moment, a girl with long brown hair walked in, studiously gazing at the floor as if she had dropped something and was looking for it very dedicatedly. Still not looking up at the sudden quiet in the room—new students were a rarity in their small town—the girl made a beeline for the teacher's desk in the front.

The frizzy haired teacher—what was her name?—spoke a few words to her and the girl—the cute girl—answered back quietly something. Smiling, the teacher took her shoulders, spun her around towards the class, and proclaimed, "Everyone, we have a new student here. This is Isabella Swan and I hope that we will all do our best to welcome her here as we all undergo this journey into the art of sculpture!" The teacher beamed at them all, while the girl weakly tried to interject, "I'd actually like to be called Bel—"

"Isabella, why don't you go sit next to Mr. Cullen at that table," the teacher pointed to Cullen's table and Mike felt himself start to get angry…of course Cullen would get first stab at the new girl…

Isabella, still trying to see her toes through her shoes, reluctantly looked up to where the still grinning woman had pointed.

Mike looked to, wanting to reassure himself that Cullen ignored her like he did everyone. But he almost choked on his breath.

Edward Cullen, the guy that invented the word avoidance, was staring at the new girl in a way that Mike could only deem stalkerish. The famous unblinkingness was back as Cullen's eyes—had they always been that weird yellow color?—just stared at Isabella Swan.

Quickly checking back at Isabella, Mike was not nearly as surprised to see that she was staring at Cullen too. Typical. The first pretty new girl that didn't scare him and it was the first human being that Edward Cullen would look at.

Just perfect.

Mike Newton's day had become bad again.

"Yes, dearie, that back table there. Go on," the art teacher's smile was gone after a full ten seconds into the staring contest between Cullen and Isabella.

Mike watched as Isabella blinked hard twice, shook her head slightly and started to walk slowly towards the back table where Cullen still watched her approach.

It was when the new girl was about five feet from her assigned table that she tripped.

Mike had no idea what she could have tripped over. There was absolutely nothing on the floor she had been walking on. The floor may have been a tad slippery, but not enough for the epic fall that Isabella Swan delivered, her books and backpack flying into the air as her arms went up and her legs slid from beneath her. Ears waiting for the thud of the fall were confused when they didn't catch any.

Edward freaking Cullen had caught her.

Mike fought down the urge to strangle what he was now thinking of as his usurper. He also wondered how the heck the guy managed to rescue Isabella when she had been so far away…

Suddenly, Edward looked sharply at Mike, weirdly warning him with his eyes—had they always been black—in a way that made Mike shudder.

Cullen's eyes quickly went back to Isabella's, who was staring at him, brown eyes huge. Her books covered the floor but she was somehow upright, in a standing position held by Cullen's hands on her upper arms. Mike suspiciously thought it looked like he was actually holding her.

All the pair of eyes in the classroom now stared shocked at the two, watching as Edward Cullen quickly released Isabella's arms—Mike was happy—and, with what Mike knew to be the first time that he had ever seen him smile said, "Hi, Edward Cullen."

The new girl kept staring, like a deer trapped in headlights, watching as Cullen's smile faded, until finally, "Bella Swan."

And then she fainted…only to be securely and unbelievably caught by Edward again.

Mike wanted to punch something.

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**_Comments, Concerns, Questions, Complaints?_**

**_TwilightSnowStar_**


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